PRESCRIPTION OF MEDICATIONS BY PRIMARY-CARE PHYSICIANS IN THE LIGHT OF ASTHMA GUIDELINES

The purpose of this study was the evaluation of the extent of dissemin ation of asthma guidelines among primary health care physicians in Gre ece. Sixty-five of 80 primary care physicians (response rate 80.2%) an swered a questionnaire about asthma morbidity, manner of choice of tre atment and asthma management plans. One out of 12 patients who were ex amined by a primary care physician suffered from bronchial asthma. For ty-two physicians treated their asthma patients according to the pulmo nologist's recommendations, and only 15 prescribed asthma treatment ac cording to asthma guidelines. beta(2)-agonist inhalers and theophyllin e tablets represent 41% of all prescribed medicines in asthma and cort icosteroid inhalers 24% of medications. Eight physicians prescribed th eophylline as the first and 20 physicians corticosteroid inhalers as t he third choice of medication in asthma treatment. Consequently, the p rescription of beta(2)-agonist inhalers and theophylline tablets seems to be higher than asthma guidelines recommend. Better dissemination o f guidelines among specialists and primary health care physicians will hopefully make asthma management optimal.